“Football is no Olympic sport”. Michel Platini not interested in watching Thierry Henry’s France Olympic football team

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are coming thick and fast with the Opening Ceremony scheduled this Friday. The action will start before that with Thierry Henry’s France Olympic football team kicking off their opening group stage at Marseille against the USA on Wednesday. French football icon Michel Platini has indicated to Midi Libre that he has no intention of following the tournament.

“I’m not interested in France’s Olympic football team“, said Platini. The 3-time Ballon d’Or winner considers that football has no place in the Games considering it is “no Olympic sport.“ We bring football because it’s the sport that fills the stadium. Football attracts the most spectators.” Platini, who was UEFA president between 2007 and 2015 mentions that FIFA never wanted the best players in world football to take part in the Olympics, meaning nations that took part could only bring “B, C, D teams… It’s pointless.“

Platini stressed that the Olympic Games, despite being “a beautiful sports moment“, are not the most important football competition. After being the last torchbearer for the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in France, Platini has called for Zinédine Zidane to follow in his footsteps for Friday’s Opening Ceremony in Paris.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval